Govt to ease entry of foreign observers

JAKARTA (JP): The government pledged on Thursday to ease immigration procedures for foreigners who will watch over the June 7 general election, but warned them against favoring an individual party or presidential candidate.

Minister of Justice Muladi said after a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Stapleton Roy that foreign poll observers deserved the special treatment because of their pivotal role during the multiparty elections.

"Many parties have vowed to win, but many of them are not prepared to concede a defeat. Those foreign observers will prevent unexpected reactions to the election outcome from happening," Muladi said as quoted by Antara.

Foreign observers will include several U.S. Congress members and a monitoring team led by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.

Muladi said although observers would not need to apply for special visas, they would be subject to conditions. They govern the ability to cooperate with local institutions such as the National Elections Committee and a ban from assisting any parties or presidential candidates.

"We won't hesitate to deport those who breach the conditions," Muladi warned.

Stapleton said the U.S. House of Representatives resolved to send the election-monitoring team to ensure it was conducted in a fair and free manner and met international standards. The resolution, passed on Tuesday, also demanded the Indonesian government recognize people's choices of party, president and vice president.

The People's Consultative Assembly has arranged a series of hearings with scholars from leading state universities for exchanges of ideas on state policy guidelines for the 2000/2005 period.

The meetings with the Sumatra Utara University of Medan, North Sumatra, Jakarta-based University of Indonesia, Diponegoro University of Semarang, Airlangga University of Surabaya and Hasanuddin University of Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, will start on Tuesday.

Election-related violence continued on Thursday in Central Java, with deputy chief of local United Development Party (PPP) office Hendro Suyitno confirming a Wednesday night attack against party members in Batang, about 60 kilometers east of the province capital of Semarang.

Hendro said a group of unidentified people pelted with stones a house where party followers were chanting holy verses. At least 30 people were injured in the incident. The attackers also set on fire 10 motorcycles belonging to PPP members.

"We urge the police to investigate the case as soon as possible and take stern measures against the barbaric people," Hendro told the Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Meanwhile, sporadic removal of Golkar Party banners continued in the province. Secretary of the party's local office Sutoyo Abadi said on Thursday at least 400 party banners in Semarang, Kebumen and Magelang had reportedly vanished.

Sutoyo said some of the banners were set on fire.

No less than 2,000 Golkar banners hoisted across the province have been stolen or damaged in the past three days, according to Sutoyo. (har/amd)